For many people, one of the milestones of a relationship comes after one extends an invitation to meet their family. For someone who comes from a very small family, I do not hold this to be true. Meeting my family typically means meeting my Dad, who will only care to remark about your appearance to me once you leave. Then, maybe my cousins from down south Facebook stalk your profile. Really, any girl who "meets" my family will have it easy. The real test comes with meeting my friends because even my friend's wife won't hesitate to tell you how wrong you are about anything.

They say that friends are like family except that you get to pick them and as someone who longed for a family growing up, I like to think that to be true. I don't know about you but during college and beyond, you spend more time with your friends than you do with your own family. The lines between friends and family become blurred.

As you start to reach a certain age, your friends (and hopefully you) begin to settle down. The realization sets in that your friends and their significant others will be the ones that you will share numerous summer cookouts with while eventually discussing politics and your mortgages. As you age, no longer is it just a question of who is attractive or who you can picture as your beer pong partner on a Friday night but rather who can you picture beside you and your friends at those cookouts in the future.

I don't want to be that guy who somewhere down the road is looking through photos with friends of weddings, birthdays, baptisms, and life's special moments with a different girl under my arm in each picture. Playing the "Who was she again?' game doesn't appeal to me and somewhat cheapens the closeness of our group. I want my friends to be able to know that you are special to me and mean something once I decide to bring you out to meet them.

Their significant others are as much of my friend group as anyone else. I want them to be able to like you and enjoy your company. If we work out, you will need to be part of crafting sessions, going with them for manicures and pedicures or just drinking margaritas while watching the Bachelor. If I bring you around too soon and they like you, only for us to not work out, then it makes everything awkward and like an extra unnecessary breakup.

I don't expect you to always like my friends. I am sure that there will be times where you would rather I not spend so much time out at the local bar with them and I fully expect you to bemoan us watching almost every sporting event. I am sure there will come times where they may rub you the wrong way but any woman who is with me needs to respect my friends and the time I spend with them while recognizing that they are like family to me.

I value my friends' opinions, but trust me I will tell them enough about you for them to offer guidance when needed. Think of it like a game of Super Mario, level one is getting to know me and earning my admiration. If you prove yourself worthy, then you can advance to meet my friends for level two. Win their approval and the marriage level becomes possible. My friends are special and meeting them should be equally special. As I look towards my future, I know that my friends are going to be there. I am not so sure yet that you will be.